Sturner, Thompson named first-team all stars

Sturner also voted top newcomer

Southern Oregon junior transfer David Sturner was named Newcomer of the Year and sophomore Eric Thompson joined him on the first-team list as the Raiders were well represented on the Cascade Collegiate Conference men's basketball all-conference list, announced Wednesday.

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Posted Feb. 28, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Posted Feb. 28, 2013 at 12:01 AM

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Southern Oregon junior transfer David Sturner was named Newcomer of the Year and sophomore Eric Thompson joined him on the first-team list as the Raiders were well represented on the Cascade Collegiate Conference men's basketball all-conference list, announced Wednesday.

Sturner was one of two players to average a double-double, ranking 13th in the league in scoring (12.8 points per game) and second in rebounding (10.4). He also ranked third in blocks (1.2) and eighth in shooting percentage (.506).

Through 33 games, Sturner has grabbed 305 rebounds to become the seventh player in SOU history to surpass 300 in a season. Sturner's Newcomer of the Year recognition gives a Raider player the honor for the second time in the past three seasons after former SOU player Jordan Highland won the award in 2011.

Thompson was a first-team pick for the second year in a row after ranking seventh in the conference in scoring (14.4) and eighth in rebounding (6.6). Thompson's 527 points this season make him only the second player in SOU history to reach 500 in more than one season, and his 1,114 career points rank 12th in program history.

SOU junior guard Kyle Tedder received honorable mention recognition after becoming the conference's most prolific 3-point shooter this season. Tedder ranked fourth in the conference in scoring (15.7), 11th in assists (2.9) and 15th in steals (1.2). Tedder's 61 made 3-pointers during the conference season were nine more than second-ranked Ryan Parks, and his .449 shooting percentage from long range led the conference. Going into next week's NAIA Tournament, Tedder is four points away from 500 this season and giving the Raiders two 500-point scorers for the first time in team history.

Warner Pacific's Stephen Harris was named conference Player of the Year, while Eastern Oregon's Michael Crane received Defensive Player of the Year recognition. Eastern Oregon head coach Isaac Williams was named CCC Coach of the Year after leading the Mountaineers to a regular-season co-championship and EOU's first ever No. 1 ranking in the NAIA poll this season.

Southern Oregon advanced to the CCC Tournament title game for the first time since 2005, falling to top-seeded Warner Pacific 67-63 on Tuesday in Portland. The Raiders earned an automatic bid to the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Tournament by advancing to the conference title game against the regular-season champion Knights and will face Madonna, Mich., in the first round of the 32-team tournament.